Number displaying device for telephone instruments



Feb. 16, 1932. 3, ox 1,845,650

NUMBER DISPLAYING DEVICE FOR TELEPHONE INSTRUMENTS Filed April 25, 1950 Figr] Fig: 7 q m'gell U0;

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Patented Feb. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES GEORGE D. COX, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

NUMBER DISPLAYING DEVICE FOR TELEPHONE INSTRUMENTS Application filed April 25,

Standard telephone instruments are provided, as is well known, with holders in which the number and exchange of the tele phone is placed. These holders are of several standard types. The particular standard type with which the present device is intended to be used a circular container, made usually of a metal ring, with a transparent material, usually a cellulose material such as masurier, back of which is a card bearing the exchange and subscribefls telephone number. This number, for various reasons, well known to instrument installers, cannot, in practice, be determined in many instances when the telephones are sent out from the storehouse. The installing of the numbers has to be done in many cases at the place of erection of the telephone. The present invention is intended to enable the immediate setting up of the telephone number and station at the place of installation, in a permanent manner, and in clear figures and letters, without requiring that the installer of the instrument be furnished with an individual card for each telephone to be installed.

My device is a substitute for the card that hitherto had been placed within the metal holder back of the transparent facing, on which had been stamped or written the sub scribers number. It consists of a frame shaped to lit the interior of the holder, and of a size that will be retained by the flange of the holder. It has a pocket or pockets extending inwardly from the edges. In conjunction with this frame is used a book that contains strips that are fitted into the pocket, in the frame, and holds them bound together in large numbers. These strips are inserted singly into the pocket in the frame which has an opening on its face through which the figures of the strips are shown. The frame has guide walls and a stop that regulate the adjustment of the strips in the frame. As the frame its in and. held by the flange of the holder, the strips which are cut off even with the edge of the frame may fill the entire space in the pocket between the flange and the stop. the guides and the interior of the flange.

Describing now in detail the form of my device that I employ in practice 1930. Serial No. 447,251.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a frame as contained in the holder. Fig. 2 is a'plan View of a frame em ty and ready to be used by the insertion of the number strips. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the book of number strips. Fig. l is a top view of the empty frame. Fig. 5 is a plan of the frame filled with the strips that contain the numerals that spell the subscribers number placed in the frame, but having the ends of the strips protruding. Fig. 6 is a like view with the ends of the strips out off. Fig. 7 is a view of the three arts I use, in practice, to form the frame. ig. 8 is a plan of a modified'form of frame.

As assembled at the telephone instrument, the standard holder 1 in which is the frame 2. The transparent cover 3, for the frame fits inside the inwardly projecting flange 4, of the holder 1, and covers and protects the frame 2, and the parts within the frame. The holder 1, and cover 3, are standard parts of the standard form of instrument.

The frame 2, has in it a pocket 5. The shape and area in the form of frame I use, in practice, of the faces of this pocket 5, are indicated by the dotted. lines I), b, and the thickness of the pocket is the distance between the lines 0, 0. Opening into this pocket 5, is the window 10 and the bottom of this pocket serves as a stop for the number strips limiting the distance they can be inserted. This frame 2, is formed, in practice, of a back 7, which serves as a wall of the pocket 5, a spacer piece 8, and the facing 9. A segment, see Fig. 7, may be cut off the top of the back 7 to facilitate the insertion of the number strips. This facing may have the name of the exchange printed upon it. In this facing 9, is the window 10, opening into the pocket 5, and allowing the numbers to appear. The spacer 8, has the slot d, the edges of which define the bounds of the pocket, and the bottom 6 of this slot forms the stop 12, that limits the extent of insertion of the strips 13. The strips 13, 13, are collected together very conveniently into a book A. The walls of pocket 5 form guides for the strips 13.

In practice, a row of the strips 13, 13, are attached to a head 14, and a number of these strips and heads are superimposed and fastened together very similarly to the way that aper matches are sometimes arranged.

ach strip 13, 13, carries a digit and the book contains strips bearing the diiferent digits of the Arabic numerals. These digits are positioned, in practice, near the end of each strip. The combined width of the strips to be inserted equals the width of the pocket and they should each be long enough to have the ends of the strips rest on the stop 12. I find the most convenient form of arranging these sheets is to have all the strips 13 of each layer bear the same digit.

When the strips have been all inserted to spell the subscribers number, the protruding ends of the strips are trimmed off, and the 7 frame is placed in the holder 1, where it remains permanently. The telephone number appears through the window 10. Where the exchange cannot be determined prior to installation, the installer may carry a number of frames 2, with different exchanges printed on them, or he may carry frames like that illustrated in Fig. 8, where two pockets 31, and 32, are contained in the frame 30. In each of these pockets may be placed a strip which can contain the name of the exchange, or the strips may carry letters from which the name of the exchange can be spelled out. The exchange name may be placed above or below. Both pockets, or either, may show numbers through these windows 341, and 35.

Many changes may be made in the number and arrangements of the pockets without departing from my invention.

I claim 1. In a number displaying device for telephone instruments having a permanent holder with a face of transparent material attached to the instrument, a card-board frame inserted in said holder behind said face, said frame being formed of two outer layers and an intermediate layer having a cut out portion extending inwardly from an edge thereof, the edges of said out out portion defining with said outerlayers a pocket, one of said layers being provided with a window opening into said pocket, and strips inserted in said pocket, said strips carrying digits that appear through said window, and the part of said cut out portion forming the bottom of said pocket forming a stop regulating the depth of insertion of said strips into said pocket. r

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the back layer of said frame has a segment cut ofi at its top.

GEORGE D. COX. 

